2021 Skidoo 850 turbo reviews

[Caper11]

How much does the belt temp alarm ring in?

I have had my sled clutched right out of the box, trying different setups etc. I have never had a belt temp alarm ring in, and my sheave temp checks are actually pretty decent. One thing I have noticed when other turbo guys take there side panel off is how much belt dust they have.

My brother and I have approximately the same miles on our sleds. He is stock clutched except for the heavier pivot bolts I put in his. His secondary was filthy compared to mine.

 

[maxwell]

How much does the belt temp alarm ring in?

Haven't had it go off this year with the factory calibration. on the 2020.5 i had it go off once in april in heavy wet snow above zero temp in the alpine.

we were playing with some other calibrations and i had it go off after doing 2 long pulls back to back. The factory setup works really well for belt life and belt temp.

 

[drew562]

Haven't had it go off this year with the factory calibration. on the 2020.5 i had it go off once in april in heavy wet snow above zero temp in the alpine.

we were playing with some other calibrations and i had it go off after doing 2 long pulls back to back. The factory setup works really well for belt life and belt temp.

Have you compared to 20.5 to the current turbo. The prototype we rode last year ran hard with the alphas and easily Out performing them in uphill ground speed. This year I bought one and I’m riding with all the same alphas I definitely have an advantage but it doesn’t seem as big as it did last year. I think the 20.5’s pulled harder

 

[snopro]

Have you compared to 20.5 to the current turbo. The prototype we rode last year ran hard with the alphas and easily Out performing them in uphill ground speed. This year I bought one and I’m riding with all the same alphas I definitely have an advantage but it doesn’t seem as big as it did last year. I think the 20.5’s pulled harder

That would make sense with the sled running out of its recommend rpm power band. The 2020.5's ran more weight in the clutch

 

[maxwell]

Have you compared to 20.5 to the current turbo. The prototype we rode last year ran hard with the alphas and easily Out performing them in uphill ground speed. This year I bought one and I’m riding with all the same alphas I definitely have an advantage but it doesn’t seem as big as it did last year. I think the 20.5’s pulled harder

unfortunately not back to back as it was sold so i am really just comparing to what i remember from last season......I "feel" like my 2021 is the same or marginally better performing than the 2020.5. But again without riding them side by side it would be hard to say. I know when the snow is deep and fluffy these sleds make way more ground speed and float higher on the snow than an NA snowmobile.

have to remember this is altitude compensating so the gap increases the higher you go. if your comparing at say eagles pass, alot of that riding is 5000-6000ft and then go to allan creek where majority of riding is 7000-7500 it makes a difference, not in the feel of the machine but in the gap between turbo and NA.

 

[rknight111]

All depends on location, altitude, conditions, many factors, and even if the sled is broken in. Everyone who rode my sled was totally Suprised on the difference between the 20.5 and the 2021 in power and response, much better on the 2021. If your comparing at lower altitudes there won’t be much difference.

 

[Summitric]

got some seat time on a 165 turbo.
Super smooth on the power deliver.
Never know it was a turbo other than the blow off and extra track speed.
Pulls hard but not rip your arms off hard.
Wheelie on command - if you dont like that some skid work required.
If you want more than an na this sled is pretty dam slick!
If clutch tuning is all it needs that is pretty dam good for first shot out of the gate. Doo has weights.
The sled i rode was reclutched to not over rev.
Did i mention that it has super smooth power deliver???? Lol
if you want big power still need aftermarket kits but there are likely very few out there that can use this sled to full potential all the time - 3/4 of the time.
Curious to see if there are any changes to 2022.
An excellent ride regardless of $$$$$, it's just a pricey game.
Hmmff, nice!

not bad, coming from an anti-skidoo guy... Nice sled by the way

 

[skegpro]

All depends on location, altitude, conditions, many factors, and even if the sled is broken in. Everyone who rode my sled was totally Suprised on the difference between the 20.5 and the 2021 in power and response, much better on the 2021. If your comparing at lower altitudes there won’t be much difference.

2022's should be dialed.

 

[snochuk]

2022's should be dialed.

Hoping so.

 

[SnowJunkie82]

That would make sense with the sled running out of its recommend rpm power band. The 2020.5's ran more weight in the clutch

I’m hoping to see some performance gains by getting the sled into the proper RPM range. Last ride I added 12g per weight and this brought the sled down to a sustained RPM of 8200 from a constant over rev (Yes I know that is still to high). The next ride will have the full Dynamo Joe clutch kit with more weight. Hoping to see sustained RPM’s in the 7900 to 8000 range.

 

[NoBrakes!]

Hoping so.

Soo... how does it compare to your MM built 850 mod? honestly, whad did you like vs didnt

 

[Dynamo^Joe]

The problem with installing yourself is that you need 300$ in special tools. Or a buddy that has them lol

I only see win/win/win situation having the tools. My objective is to lower the anxiety of someone who wants to do clutching and is afraid to do it based on their own life experiences. I am on-purpose a bull in a china shop in my videos, rough, borderline disdainful of keeping it clean. Shops that have videos where they show factory tools and are sanitized can do a kidney operation on the workbench; that is a fantasy. I bet if you were able to look around you'd see pot-pourri scents in a bowl.

Ok so now one see's it ain't difficult, [if that bald headed red headed chicken fker can do it, then i can too] then what's the reason to not have tools? Now you have the tools you are more valuable to yourself and others.
The beginning of wisdom is overcoming the fear of working on the clutches yourself. If you dont do any input then you dont receive any knowledge output. If you dont do it yourself, then you can't help yourself, cant be hospitable to others and have to rely on someone else non-stop into the future.

This is why i say "Buy the tools" "dont rely on anyone else" "you're the best person to do it".

I had a lady in the military up in AK buy the tools and installed the kit in her own 165 because her husband did not want to do it and stay stock. She got the tools, installed the kit and showed up her husband a few times. And now she put one in his sled too.
One of my test pilots down in Washington "Alanna" is a girl in her late 30's and is testing for me on the 600etec summit 154. First she took the kit to the dealer which i was against. Then she learned the hard way about proper installation. Went back and shamed the mech for what he did [like really, what's yer fkin problem man?] Anyhoo, that's over with and now She's testing for me and can change parts by herself.

You have the tools, the sky is the limit.

 

[jcjc1]

not to mention having the tools allows one to do maintenance, try different springs, ramps, etc without having to rely and/or pay someone else to do the work for you.

 

[snopro]

Back in the day we'd carry clutch tools in our back packs and change springs and ramps on the hill. Or clutched our sled in the hotel room. Those were the days

 

[maxwell]

Oh i agree joe, i probably have more BRP tools than a Platinum Dealer. Its landed me alot of free beer

 

[fredw]

Read this today on skidoo factory turbo on Facebook .. comments are also not so good, seams the doo tuners need some mountains, always wondered who test these things..

“Has anyone had their Ski doo dealer actually fix the over revving issue?


Every factory turbo in my group is turning 8200-8300 rpm on a long pull.


It is sounding like the dealers set the clutching up for elevation. In our case 4000-6000 ft.


I don’t understand why they needed to set it up different for elevation when these make the exact same horse power at 6000 ft as they do at sea level.


Am I missing something?”

 

[maxwell]

they dont....any clutch change applied will be consistent at all elevations....thats the beauty of the system

 

[Caper11]

Back in the day we'd carry clutch tools in our back packs and change springs and ramps on the hill. Or clutched our sled in the hotel room. Those were the days

Those days still happen with some of us.

 

[Caper11]

Read this today on skidoo factory turbo on Facebook .. comments are also not so good, seams the doo tuners need some mountains, always wondered who test these things..

“Has anyone had their Ski doo dealer actually fix the over revving issue?


Every factory turbo in my group is turning 8200-8300 rpm on a long pull.


It is sounding like the dealers set the clutching up for elevation. In our case 4000-6000 ft.


I don’t understand why they needed to set it up different for elevation when these make the exact same horse power at 6000 ft as they do at sea level.


Am I missing something?”

See olers post.

 

[Summitizer]

Maybe BRP should read these posts as we know what needs to be done but they seem to be reluctant to act on it. That’s why everyone who has this over reving issue must open up a case with BRP.